Spark plug with intensifier



July 10, 1962 T. A. ZALESAK SPARK PLUG WITH INTENSIFIER Filed July 25, 1

1 17/ 1, tse igaz INVENTOR. 730/220: A 221/980 I av ATI'D RN EYS UnitedStates Patent 3,043,980 SEARK PLUG WIT INTENSIFIER Thomas A. Zaiesair,RD. 2, Box 208, Walllrill, N.Y., as-

signor 0t 49 percent to 0111- Lady of Fatima Church, Plattekill, N .Y.

Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,173

3 Claims. (61. 313-124) This invention appertains to new and usefulimprovements in spark plugs such as spark plugs for internal combustionengines.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a spark plugwhich is constructed so that the spark can be intensified as desired,and wherein the spark plug is made up of elements which can be readilyreplaced as desired or required without the necessity of replacing theentire spark plug.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide animproved spark plug which will have a long life, and wherein the sparkplug of the present invention is provided with a built in intensifier sothat the spark can efiectively fire even through deposits of oil orcarbon, and wherein the spark plug will be self-cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spark plug which isrugged in construction and economical to produce.

Other objects and advantagm will be apparent from the drawings whichillustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the improvedspark plug of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken through the body member.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view illustrating the intensifier.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the primary electrode.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6'-6 of FIGURE 1. 7

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates theimproved spark plug of the present inven tion which is shown to comprisean outer shell 11 that' area 16, as for example, as shown in FIGURE 1,where by there is provided or defined a shoulder 17 between the spacesand 16.

The numeral 18 indicates a body member which is adapted to be made of asuitable insulated material such as porcelain. The body member 18includes an enlarged section 19 which is seated in the upper recess 15of the shell 11 and the body member 18 further includes a loweredtapered section 20 which is arranged in the lower space 16 of the shell11. The body member also includes an upwardly disposed section 21 ofreduced size, and there is provided in the body member 18 alongitudinally extending bore which is indicated generally by thenumeral 22. The bore 22 is shaped to include an upper first section 23,and there is also provided a second section. 24 which is of smallerdiameter or size than the section 23, and a threaded section 25 isadjacent the bottom of. the section 24, and as shown in the drawings,there is provided a tapered shoulder 26 which is arranged above a thirdsection 27 of the bore.

The numeral 28 indicates a primary electrode, and the primary electrode28 includes an upper first portion 29 which is arranged in the section24 of the bore 22, and the electrode 28 also includes a threaded portion'30 which URE 1, there is a gap or space between the inner end of ice isarranged in threaded engagement with the third section 25 of the bore,the electrode further including a tapered portion 31 which abuts orengages the shoulder 26. Furthermore, the electrode 28 includes a lowerreduced size portion 32 which extends through the section 27, and theouter end of the portion 32 is threaded as at 33, and the outer end ofthe portion 32 projects beyond the outer end of the shell and around theend of the body member. As shown in the drawings, there is provided afiring element 34 which includes an internally threaded hub or sleeve 35that is arranged in threaded engagement with the threaded end 32 of theelectrode 28, and formed integral with the hub 35 or secured thereto isa plurality of radially disposed lugs or fingers 37.

There is also provided an intensifier which is indicated generally bythe numeral 38, and the intensifier element or electrode 38 includes anenlarged head 39 on its upper end and there is also provided anexternally threaded shank 40, and a fastener such as a lock nut 41 isarranged in threaded engagement with the shank 40. The numeral 42.indicates a bushing which includes an outer enlarged flange 43, and theshank 40 is arranged in threaded engagement with the bushing 42. Thenumeral 44 indicates a bracket or clip which is arranged in engagementwith the head 39, and a conductor 45 is adapted to be used forconnecting the bracket 44 to the member such as the vehicle distributor46.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided animproved spark plug with an intensifier, and with the parts arranged asshown in the drawings, it will be seen that the firing element 34 isadapted to have its hub 35 threaded on the end 33 of the electrode 28and the firing element 34 is provided with the plurality of spaced apartlugs or fingers 37 which insure that a most efiicient sparking will takeplace as for example when spark is being supplied to an internalcombustion engine or the like.

The clip such as the clip 44 is adapted to be mounted on the head 39 inorder to provide a means for completing the electrical circuit to thevehicle ignition component such as the distributor 46. In addition, asshown in FIG- the intensifier 38 and the adjacent end portion of theelectrode 28 and by loosening the lock nut 41, the intensifier 38 can berotated in the bushing 42 so as to vary or change the size of the gapbetween the members 38 and 28 in order to change the position of thespark produced by the plug 10 of the present invention, and after theintensifier 38 has been adjusted to its desired location, the lock nut41 can be tightened in order to maintain the intensifier immobile in itsdesired position.

The spark plug of the present invention will have a minimum tendency tobecome fouled, and wherein the The spark plug is adjustable aspreviously stated and the spark plug can be used in conventional vehicleignition systems spark plug will also have a long life during use.

without requiring any alteration of the usual parts of the vehicle. Thevarious elements of the spark plug can be interchanged or replaced whendesired so that it will not be necessary to replace the entire sparkplug and this will provide an economical advantage for the use of thespark plug. In addition, the spark plug has a built in intensifier whichis adjustable and this intensifier 38 will permit the spark to firethrough oil or carbon deposits and the plug will be self-cleaning. Theintensifier is adjustable, and if the intensifier is not needed it canbe adjusted so that the spark of the plug can be suitably regulatedwhereby it will not interfere with the operation of the remainingdistributor 46 of the spark plug, and the intensity of the spark can beregulated by increasing or decreasing the gap between the members '38and 28 as for example by screwing the intensifier 38 in or out of thebushing 42. The V nut or fastener 41 serves to lock the intensifier 38inits various adjusted positions by cooperating with the bushing 42'andthe lock nut 41 can be tightened after thev intensifier 38 has beenadjusted. In certain instances certain of the threaded connections ofthe parts can be replaced by the use of other fastening means such as abonding cement, adhesive or the like. The primary electrode 28 includesthe tapered portion 31 which coacts with the tapered shoulder 26 of thebody member 18 whereby the parts will be snugly and properly fittedtogether and whereby the electrode 28 will be maintained in its properaligned position. The upper end of the electrode 28 may be suitablyshaped such as it may have a hexagonal shape as indicated by the numeral47 in order to receive a suitable tool such as wrench which can be usedfor tightening or loosening the electrode 28, and the threads 30 and areadapted to coact in order to maintain the electrode 28 in its properposition. The lower portion of the electrode 28 is reduced in size asindicated by the numeral 32 and the lower end as at 33 is threaded andextends beyond the skirt or portion 13 so as to provide a support forthe firing points 37 of the firing element 34, and these points 37 arepart of the element 34 which is threaded on the end 33 so that theelement 34 can beremoved and replaced if necessary. Instead of thethreaded connection between the firing element 34 and the portion 32,-a

together so that no dilficulty is encountered in changing the firingelement 34 when desired.

The intensifier 38 isbne piece construction, and the lock nut 41 isthreaded internally for engaging the inten sifier 38. The bushing 42 isthreaded internally, and the flange 43 on the upper end of the bushing42 prevents the bushing from being turned too far into the interior ofthe body member 18, and in addition the portion 23 of the. bore 22 is ofa shape or size so as to snugly receive the major section of the bushing42 as for example as shown in FIGURE 1. In certain instances the bushingper se can be eliminated and/ or can be molded as an integral part ofthe upper end of the body. member 18.

The various parts of the spark plug are interchangeable so that they canbe readily replaced whereby it is not necessary to purchase an entirelynew spark plug instead or a needed part, and the spark plug has a builtin intensifier whereby the spark will be able to fire through depositsof oil, carbon or the like, and due to the intensity of the spark,adjustments of the spark plug gap will be minimized and the intensifierwill also help make the spark self-cleaning.- The intensifier providesthe means for regulating the intensity of the spark discharged from theplug. The bushing may be made of a suitable material such as metal, andthe body member 18 may be made of a suitable heat resistingornon-conductive material such as porcelain, and the interior andexterior of the and efiiciently jumped between the ends of the lugs 37are adapted to be made of heat resisting metal and they may havedifierent shapes and the number thereof can be varied. In addition withthe spark plug of the present invention an intensified spark can beprovided if desired a or required, and if an intensified spark is notwanted, the a member 38 can be screwed in so that the inner end of themember 38 isin engagement with or contact with the and the portion 13.

It is to be noted that when the intensifier 38 is to be adjusted, thelock nut 41 is loosened, and then after the intensifier 38 has beenadjusted or regulated in order to have the gap between the intensifierand the electrode 28 of the desired size, the lock nut 41 can betightened whereby this gap will not vary or change when the spark plugis being used.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, ifdesired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a spark plug, a shell including an upper portion and a lowerportion, said lower portion being threaded externally, the interior ofsaid shell being hollow, and the upper portion of the shell being largerin cross sec tion thanthe lower portion thereof, an inner shoulderbetween, the upper and lower portions, a body member having a sectionseated in the upper portion of said shell and said section abutting saidshoulder, a tapered section on the lower. end of said body member, andsaid tapered section being arranged in said lower portion, said bodymember further including an upwardly disposed section, said body memberhaving a bore therein and said bore including an upper first section, asecondsection below said first section, there being a threaded sectionadjacent the bottom of the second section, a tapered shoulder contiguousto said threaded section, said bore further including a third sectionbelow said tapered shoulder; a primary electrode including an upperfirst portion positioned in the second section of said bore, anexternally threaded portion of the primary electrode threadedly engagingthe threaded section of the bore, said electrode also including atapered portion engaging the tapered shoulder, and a third sectionprojecting beyond the end of the shell and beyond the body member, andthe outer end of the primary electrode being threaded, a firing elementcomprising a central hub threadedly engaging the outer threaded end ofthe primary electrode, said firing element further including a pluralityof firing lugs; an intensifier element including. a threaded shankhaving a head on its upper end, a fastener threadedly engaging saidshank, and a bushing having an upper flange abutting the outer end ofsaid body member, said bushing being threaded internally and threadedlyengaging said shank, said bushing beingv seated in the first uppersection of said bore.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said head can be rotatedin order to adjust the size of the gap between the inner end of theshank and the adjacent end of the primary electrode.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 and further including a clipmounted on the head of said intensifier element and said clip adapted tohave an electrical conductor connected thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS

